Dragoon's Next Legacy
by His-Kira
Summary: Shana is horribly sick when Dart is called by King Albert to investigate a rebellion group called Devil Takers. He discovers the group is led by a Wingly by the name of Lloyd. But, Llyod was dead! He ventures for truth which starts a new journey.
1. Chapter 1

He sighed inwardly and he ran an armored hand through his long spiky blonde hair. He was beginning to get impatient. The Basil soldiers were yet again, needing another break. This was the third time in the last six hours. Weren't soldiers supposed to be trained to endure this kind of thing? The King was far too kind for his own good. It's a good thing the King could defend his own country now, because these soldiers wouldn't stand a chance against an opposing threat. They were babied too much.

"Mr. Dart, the men are starting to doubt the mission…" Gale, the captain of the small band of soldiers had a look of uncertainty as well.

"I was called away from my home and from the most important person to me, because the King felt he needed this to be looked upon. Albert must feel something important about this, or he wouldn't have asked me to leave my sick loved one."Dart snapped. "Have faith in him. Now hurry up and get your rest, you have ten minutes."

He ignored the snide remark the captain made about him being a prick, and walked further ahead to scout the area.

This mission was becoming a pain. He didn't understand why Albert insisted that the band of soldiers went with him. He could have done this alone and much faster. He was the master of the Divine Dragoon Spirit after all. Now, instead of flying quickly to his destination, he had to walk with these pansies.

There had been talk for a long time about a growing group called the "Devil Takers." They opposed King Albert's ruling because he was too soft. He was not a solid leader. Though, up until a few weeks ago, that's all the group was. A rumor. They now have begun to take action. Rebelling against the country and Albert by defacing a shrine people had built specifically to honor their great and loving King. They left threats as well, claiming to start rioting in villages if the King did not step down.

This matter though is not why Dart was asked to go on this mission. It was because the group was supposed to be lead by a platinum haired man. This could be none other than a Wingly. These soldiers, even if trained to perfection like Lavitz, could not stand up to the might of a Wingly. Surely Albert should have known this. What is that man thinking? Maybe he wasn't thinking. After all, when Dart saw him, the man was practically pulling his hair out from the anticipation of his soon to be born child with now Queen Emille.

He knew he would be pulling out his own hair if this mission isn't done soon. They had been traveling for weeks. Which was a lot longer even when he had made the trip with Shana and Lavitz those few years ago. It had taken them four days tops to get to the Marshland Fort. He was really going to need to talk to Albert about his soldiers training regimen once they got this over with.

Shana.

It pained him to leave her. She was ill when he left. Plos, the mayor and Shana's adoptive father was taking care of her thankfully. He assured Dart that she would be fine and it nothing more than a stomach virus. Shana had even assured him she would be fine. He could still remember her face as he left through the door. Her brown hair plastered against her pale face in a cold sweat, her eyes were dull and tired, but her smile was a bright as ever. "I love you." She said to him. Then he left.

He had to get this mission done soon so he could go see her again, and make sure it was nothing more a stomach virus. Surely though, Plos would have sent a messenger if it were truly serious. Yeah, there's no way that Shana was in danger, otherwise he would have heard by now.

With a deep breath he pushed through the brush that had started growing since Nello discovered the mystery of growing green. The man and Albert had spread his cure everywhere. Even Seles had started to see the riches of greens and colors of flowers.

The mush under his feet hit a solid surface.

Stone.

He bent down and examined it, sure enough it was the broken path that led to the Marshland Fort. He opened his mouth to call for the Captain, but he quickly shut it. No, it would be quicker and easier for him to inspect the Fort himself. No worrying over the casualties the soldiers would give if they went.

He glanced over his shoulder to see the faint shadows of the soldiers huddled together in the darkened forest. One, two…four…six. They were all accounted for. Good.

Without another hesitation Dart headed further toward the Fort. Another ten minute walk and he would be there. Running, he would make it in five. He recognized the ruined walls and knew the Fort was right around the corner.

He slowed his pace though. He heard voices.

"…Is it safe though? He's a magic user…A Wingly!" The first voice said. The person sounded young, no older than twenty.

_'Wingly!'_ Dart gritted his teeth. Guess the King was right after all.

"I'm not questioning him!" The second, older and rougher voice said. "That bastard killed three men opposing him!"

"What? How do you know this?" The younger man asked.

"My friend back in Denigrad saw it himself!"

There was silence for a moment. Dart almost thought they had left until he heard a scowl.

"You see! That's why we should get out of here while we can!" The young one hissed.

"And what of the rebellion, eh? You gunna give up on it? Hmph, youngsters these days have no back bone!" The older man growled.

"Albert isn't a bad leader Uncle Bowen…." The young man started.

"THE KING IS A PANSEY! A GUPPY! A SISSY! WE NEED A NEW, BETTER AND STRONGER LEADER!" The older man exploded.

"And who is going to take over? The Wingly?" The younger man snapped.

There was a noise that sounded like the start of an argument from the older man who didn't have anything to say.

"I'm out of here Uncle…If you're smart…You will be right behind me."

There was rustling in the brush and Dart quickly dashed behind a tree. The younger man was shorter than him. His hair was short and unkempt, and from his attire you could not tell he was a soldier other than the small dagger at his waist.

"Go on then! You PUSSY!" The older man shouted.

The younger man ignored his uncle's taunts and only when Dart could no longer hear the rustling of the younger man did he come out from his hiding place. He needed to know where the Wingly was. Without bothering to be discrete, Dart came out of the shadows and thrust his sword up to the man's neck.

The man was indeed older. He looked older than Haschel, but that didn't mean much considering Haschel was close to his mid sixties and looked younger than most forty year olds. The man's hair line had receded to the middle of his head and his face was sagged and tired from long laboring days of work. What he had left of hair was a peppered color and his mustache was comparable to Haschel's in length. Though, Dart almost felt guilty to comparing this low man to Haschel.

"Where is he?" Dart demanded.

"Wha-what? Wh-where's who?" The man stuttered from fear. His deep grey eyes were opened wide and Dart could already make out his forehead wetting from perspiration.

"The Wingly you spoke of. What is his name and where is he?" Dart demanded.

The man was getting twitchy now. He was scared out of his mind, which assured Dart that this man was nothing but hot air. He was not for battles.

"I-I-I don't know where he is! I've never seen him!" He insisted.

"A name. Give me a name!" Dart growled.

"I don't know! I-uh-…think it's something along the lines of Lloyd."

Dart froze. Lloyd? Surely not the same Lloyd…he died!

"Think harder! What's his name?" Dart shouted.

"I swear! That's all I know! Please don't kill me!" The man now was cowering in the muck, his hands covering his head.

Dart took a deep breath and nodded. "Follow your nephew old man. If you stay here, you will die. Basil Soldiers won't ask questions like I do."

The man was now crying. He nodded and bowed several times awkwardly before scrambling in the muck toward where his nephew ran off to.

Dart bit lips lip as he looked at the crumbling Fort. He could make out lights from inside.

"Well," He said to himself as he swung his sword onto his armored shoulder, "Time to go do more digging before they figure out I'm missing."

* * *

><p>Shana wiped her mouth with quivering hands from the bile that had again come up. This was the third time she had vomited in the last six hours. Her body was exhausted to the point she could barely crawl back to her bed. And every move she made screamed pain. Even the little hairs on her arms screamed if breathed on.<p>

Plos had sent a letter to a doctor in Basil a week ago requesting help. Even with the fear of the Rebellion group Devil Takers, the doctor agreed to come out and inspect her. Especially for the price he was being paid. Her father figure was now venturing to the woods to greet the doctor personally and guide him to the village.

She desperately hoped Plos would remember to bring the crackers. They were the only thing that would seem to calm her stomach.

Three weeks she had been in this condition. Three weeks she has had to suffer through it without Dart there to hold her hand or hum his lullaby to her. She missed him terribly. She cried herself to sleep every night, tired of having to suffer in this agonizing pain without the love of her life there beside her. She could feel the tears that very moment.

'_Dart…where are you?' _ She thought.

The door opened and Plos came in bearing a big smile. "She's right over here. But do give her a moment. She's been so ill, I've had to carry her to the washroom, feed her…the strange thing is though, the fever vanished quite some time ago!"

A tall man well into his fifties walked into the little house and set his brief case down. He pushed his glasses high up onto the bridge of his nose and nodded. "Hmmm."

He was looking straight at Shana, almost completely ignoring Plos as he babbled about needing a moment to fix her something to eat, and vanished into the kitchen.

The doctor wore dull blue robes and grey pants. His shoes were remarkably shiny considering the journey he had to make here. His aging face was mostly hidden by facial hair and thick glasses that magnified his dark brown eyes.

Without waiting for Plos to come out of the kitchen, the doctor brought his suitcase over to Shana's bed and pulled a short stool over to sit on. Then after placing the suit case on his lap, he clicked it open and began rummaging through it.

Shana couldn't make out what he was looking for because the top of the case was in her way.

Plos finally came out and didn't say anything to the doctor as he handed Shana a small plate of crackers and fruits. The fruits were for if the crackers didn't settle her stomach, the taste of the vomit wouldn't be near as awful.

Shana didn't think she would ever eat another fruit again.

Before she could get the first cracker in her mouth the doctor shut his case and held a clear potion bottle out to her. The contents were that of a pale purple transparent liquid. "Drink this after you are finished eating my dear. This will stop any nausea you have guarantee. I will show your father how to make these potions for you."

He let Plos take the bottle and again opened his brief case. He pulled out two instruments. One was the gadget all doctors wore around their necks, but was used to listen to the heart. The other was a different device she had never seen before, but she didn't like it. It had a long thin silver tip, and a clear tubing.

"Now, I am going to listen to your belly and your heart. Refrain from eating until I get done listening to your heart please." The doctor pulled the first instrument up to his ears and put them in place. Shana awkwardly let the older man press the cold circular end onto her breast.

"Take deep breaths." She did.

"Gooood. Now slower.." She did.

The doctor hesitated and made a frown. "One more time for me, my dear." She did as told. This time the doctor smiled.

"Ok, eat away dear."

Shana immediately grabbed a handful of crackers and began eating them. She was almost completely unaware of the doctor, but the cold circular end would remind her. As she ate the doctor listened carefully to her stomach. As he did, Plos nearly chewed his fingers off every time the doctor muttered a simple, "Hmm…" or "Interesting."

The doctor took a deep breath and pulled the device out from his ears. "This part you won't like. This is a new technology I discovered myself and had been proven to be very effective. It should only hurt for a moment."

Shana was too tired to tense up, but she knew he was referring to the new device.

"Now, this is a needle. I'm going to poke it inside your arm to get a small sample of your blood for a test." The doctor assured.

He pulled out a cleansing wipe from his case and wiped the needle for good measurement and took Shana's arm. "Make a fist for me…okay good." He poked the vein in the crease of her arm. "One, two, and three!"

He shoved the needle into her arm at the count of three, not surprised by her cry of pain. As quickly as he could he pulled the little lever on the back of the clear tube. Shana could see her own red blood pour into it. Then quickly the doctor pulled the needle out.

"That's it." He stood up. "May I use your kitchen table to set up this test? The test should only take 30 minutes, tops."

Plos nodded. "Of course! This way!" They both vanished into the hall toward the kitchen.

Shana made a face as she saw a tear drop amount of blood oozing from where the doctor had stuck her. It really hurt too.

Her stomach roared and hurt more. That's right. She needed food. She didn't even taste the crackers anymore and she didn't want to taste the fruits.

"Here." Plos handed her the bottle from earlier. Shana jumped and frowned when Plos chuckled. "Doctor's orders."

Shana gave her father a dirty look, "That's not nice, scaring people." Then she quickly drank the potion. She was surprised with how well it tasted. A fruity, but minty taste at the same time.

"I wasn't trying to scare you dear. Go ahead and try to rest. I'll take care of the doctor and the dishes. I will wake you when it's time to eat." Plos bent down and kissed for forehead.

Shana momentarily wanted to argue, but she suddenly was so tired her vision blurred. "…Okay." She said softly right before she passed out.

Plos sighed. "My poor girl…"

* * *

><p>"Well, I guessed it. There's nothing really wrong with her Plos."<p>

Shana's head felt fuzzy, and really heavy.

"What do you mean nothing wrong? Why is she like this?" Plos's voice was on the verge of irritation.

The doctor laughed. "Every woman goes through this. Though, her case is most unusually harsh. Sometimes, many times throughout their lives. Your daughter isn't a little girl anymore."

"What are you talking about doctor?" Plos grumbled.

"She's pregnant."

Silence.

Shana wondered if she was dreaming. Pregnant? She was pregnant?

"Come again?" Plos finally said.

The doctor laughed, "She's going to be a mother. You're going to be a grandparent. She's carrying a baby inside her womb. How else should I break this down?"

A sound rang in the house, a loud rough groaning. Like a chair being dragged across the floor. "She's…pregnant?"

"Yes. Now, I've shown you what you need to make that potion for her. It will stop her sickness and she should be able to start eating healthier foods. Activity is also good for her. Daily walks around the village is what I recommend. The father should help you with these things until she gets better. Where is he?"

Plos was silent. Shana knew that he knew. Finally he broke the silence, "Away on a mission for the King himself. They are good friends with each other."

The doctor chuckled, "At least he's a good man! Friends with the King personally? Respectable! When he comes back he's going to be a very happy man!" He grunted. "Now. I shall leave a few things here for you just in case the potion needs an extra boost-which it shouldn't- and I will be on my way home."

Shana grew tired again. She hadn't been dreaming though. Pregnant. She was going to have Dart's baby. She smiled. Her weak hand went to her stomach and the she drifted off into the first peaceful sleep she had in weeks.


	2. Fire Tales

'_One more to go', _She thought to herself.

Shana had made her second walk around the village. She was recommended to walk three times around the tiny village a day. She smiled as she passed the tiny school, waving at the four children who ran up to greet her as they did the past two times.

Word had spread quickly about her pregnancy. It was after all a tiny village and Plos being the mayor always had things to talk about. Most people were more than thrilled to have a new baby enter their village. The only ones who weren't excited were the small Shana fan club.

"Shana! Shana!" The children sang in union.

"You're on your last lap!" The first little girl giggled. Her name was Milly.

"You can do it Shana!" Matthew, the youngest cheered.

The other two were twins; two boys by the names of Alex and Rellex. If they didn't have different colored eyes, no one would be able to tell who was who.

Rellex had the blue eyes, "When is your baby gunna be here?"

Alex with the green eyes nodded in excitement. He didn't speak a whole lot. Shana was only able to hear him speak when no one else was around. It was something the teacher grew very frustrated of.

"Well the doctor said it should be here in about eight to seven months." She smiled, holding a hand up to keep her hair from blowing into her face as a gust of wind threw itself at her.

The children squealed in surprise. With a small smile, Shana lifted her head to the sky above her. Dark clouds had started to form to the north of the village. It wasn't long before they could hear the rumbles of the coming storm.

"You guys better get inside before the rain starts!" Shana quickly ushered them back toward the school. She waved at Mrs. Renetta, the school teacher, before dashing out of the little one roomed school. "Sorry I can't stay, Plos will kill me if I get soaked!" She called as she ran.

Mrs. Renetta chuckled, "No worries! Tell that old man to come see me sometime! He owes me lunch!"

Shana made a mental note to relay the message just has she felt the first few drops of cold rain. Within three more strides the rain started a massive pour. Thankfully she was only a few yards from her house.

When she threw open the door she nearly collided with Plos.

"Oh!" She gasped.

"Goodness! I was just looking for you!" Plos stood aside so she could run inside. He closed the door behind her and then went to tending the fire he had going.

"What for?" Shana pulled off her boots and went to the washroom to change her wet clothing.

"I sent a letter to the castle urging Dart to come home as soon as possible. Though now I'm not too sure how quickly it will get there-" Plos paused as the small house shook while a whistling wind tackled the side. "With this storm."

Shana slipped on her long white gown. She hated storms. Thunder scared her, and the strong winds did equally. She always imagined the wind sweeping the house away from right over her.

"We can only hope it makes it there soon. When did you send it?" She set her wet clothes on the small table next to the tub and began searching for the wooden clips in the mirror cabinet behind her. She noticed the squirrel plushy she loved so much, Dart had given it to her as a present and she slept with it every night. Plos washed it for her the other night.

"Only a few hours ago." Plos sighed, "Oh well, it should get there unharmed. When you're finished come sit in front of the fire. I will go make some honey milk."

Soft dragging steps started to fade away. Shana sighed as she pinned her wet clothes to the rope line hung up next to the window. Plos was getting too tired to even properly raise his feet off the ground as he walked. He shouldn't be trying to take care of her, but she knew if she said anything Plos would be highly offended and try even harder to hide his tiredness. Which would eventually lead to himself tiring out even more.

Grabbing her squirrel plush, she pushed the drape away from the frame of the washroom and walked to the rug in front of the fireplace. There was already two large pillows set upon it and a large plate of sliced meats, cheeses, and fruits.

She immediately went for the meat. She was a carnivore and since she could remember was teased by other village girls who ate fruits and vegetables to stay skinny. Dart, on the other hand, loved it. He didn't like the tasteless foods the other village girls ate. Though he could eat anything, he preferred tasty meats.

Shana smiled and placed her hand on her stomach. She remembered that night.

* * *

><p>The entire village was in a joyous celebration. It was their once a year festival, where outsiders would come in, build enormous tents and sell their delicious foreign delicacies. Other stands sold hand woven cloths of many colors, perfect for sewing mothers. Another yet sold masks and hand carved toys for children. Fortune tellers were dressed in bright loose skirts and tight bright corsets. They all for some reason had coins dangling from the tips of their skirts. Men would fit large wooden planks to their feet and somehow manage to get extremely long pants over them. They always wore masks to hide their face, some wore foreign monsters, and others would wear simple black masks that covered their eyes. Some people mimicked the Red Dragon's fire spitting abilities, and though it was impressive to see feet worth's of flame tear into the night sky, it was nothing compared to a real dragon's power. A few groups would dance throughout the town while they plaid in union, a joyous and infectious melody, that would often pull others into dancing with them.<p>

The entire town was buzzing with laughter, children's cries of happiness, smells of amazing new foods, and music. It was the one time you could let loose and be yourself.

Shana smiled as she watched Dart shove his sweet kabob into his mouth as he readied himself. With enormous power and precision, Dart chucked the rubber ball and hit all three pins stacked up in the back of the stand. The clattering noise was enough to make a few passing villagers stop to marvel.

"Ahh! We have a winner! Third time in a row! It seems you get to choose a prize!" The foreign man swept his hand along the long line of handmade plushy toys.

Dart made a face, "Don't you have any swords, or armor?"

The man arched an eyebrow, "This isn't a weapon shop son. Why don't you pick something out for your girlfriend here?" The man snaked around Dart and put his arm around Shana's shoulders. She smiled awkwardly and gave Dart a look that cried for help. "She's too cute! Keep ignoring her like you have been and you might lose her!"

Dart turned to face the man, his face stern and hard. It said one thing and it didn't need to be vocalized. Get your hands off of her now.

The man was either stupid or really brave, because he was unphased by Dart's threatening stare. He pointed again to the prizes, "Go on! The offer won't last much longer!"

Dart made a move toward them and instantly the man moved. The way he moved was so weasel like it gave Shana the creeps. He stood in front of his stand and shook his head. "You will lose your prize in three…two…one…"

Dart snatched a fairly large plushy. It was about the same size as the kick all the kids played with in town. It was a light brown color with bright pink draping ears. The beady black eyes were almost cute. A squirrel. He handed it to Shana. She had always wanted a pet squirrel ever since he had told her as a child that he had one. Plos would never let her have one though, claiming they were nasty rats and girls don't play with such things.

She beamed proudly when he handed it to her. "I love it Dart!" She hugged him, with her new little friend tucked in her arm.

Dart threw a glare at the man as they walked away from the stand. He would make a mental note next year to avoid his stand.

Something light and soft brushed his hand. He saw that it was Shana's hand taking his. She intertwined their arms and rested her head on his arm as they walked. "I love these things. The last few years I had been sick when they came, so I always missed out."

Dart wasn't sure what to say, but he felt guilty he was almost glad she was sick. Many boys would have made an attempt to use this night to make a move on her. Everyone seemed to be bolder one this specific night. He wasn't sure if it was the Spirits they sold, or if it was just an intoxicating atmosphere. He was well aware many people found their husbands and wives on this night. Many of the villagers nicknamed the festival "All Lover's Festival".

"Plos was nice enough though to bring me back presents. Sweets and costumes." Shana giggled. "He even brought me back a purity necklace. I was too embarrassed to wear it though and threw it down the well later that night."

Dart laughed, "Well that's a story you haven't told me. When was this?" He looked down at her with those gorgeous bright eyes.

She gazed back at him and almost forgot to answer until he arched an eyebrow. She blushed massively and turned her face to the ground. "Two years ago, when I was seventeen."

Dart was silent for a moment. Shana noticed that she couldn't hear the festivities of the town much more. As she looked up, she saw Dart was leading her into the woods behind the village. She knew where they were going. They had this spot up in the woods no one else knew of. The cliff overlooked a small creek and underneath was a cave big enough for two people and a fire.

"I can't say I don't blame Plos." Dart suddenly said. He helped Shana down the large rock he easily leapt off of. "You are the most gorgeous woman in the village. Boys, will do stupid things when they want to be with a woman bad enough."

Shana wondered if he knew from experience. She felt her heart ache. Had Dart already been with a woman? Did she want to know? No, no she didn't.

Dart must have seen the expression on her face, "I've had to rescue women before from men attacking them. It's quite sick honestly. I do not pity those men who cannot control such simple urges."

Shana felt a weight lift off of her, but at the same time, she wondered if he ever felt that urge with her. It had been a year since their first kiss. They were together. Boyfriend and girlfriend, but Dart rarely showed affection for her other than a kiss here and there. She knew he loved her, but she was starting to wonder if he was having second thoughts about them. Maybe he thought she wasn't old enough for him.

"Shana? Are you ok?" He asked.

In a panic Shana shook her head and forced a smile. "No! Nothing! I'm fine!"

Dart frowned. He didn't buy it for a minute, "You're lying to me."

"No! Really! Honestly! I'm fine!" She waved her hand at him and scurried off to the cave. Thankfully the moon was full so she could make out where she was going. It didn't take more than a minute to get to their spot. Blankets and pillows were already set on the ground from the times they spent before. The small stone fire place they made was still in tack and holding ashes.

"Shana-" Dart's tone was drawn out, like you would call out a child who had done something wrong.

"We need firewood!" Shana had set the squirrel down and slapped her hands together. Before Dart could get to her she dashed into the woods.

She was relieved not to hear him coming after her. She needed to get some air. How could she tell Dart she wanted him to have sexual thoughts about her? The answer was simple: She couldn't. Not only that, but she was terrified to hear the answer she might hear and didn't want to hear. It would tear her heart apart if she had to lose him after all they had been through together.

Mindlessly she gathered long sticks at least two inches around. Dart had taught her that. By now he was probably gathering dry leaves and grass to place on top of the sticks.

She found herself at a stop. She almost didn't want to return to him. She almost wanted to drop the sticks and run back to the village and lock herself in Plos's home. That would make her a coward wouldn't it?

With a frustrated sigh she thrust her foot at a wooden log with all her might. Maybe this is why the White Silver Dragon left her. She was a coward.

She dropped to the fetal position and used her legs and stomach as a hold for the sticks s he had gathered. She wanted to cry. Her brain hissed at her.

Suddenly she felt a sharp pain on her arm near her wrist. She cried out loudly. Her brain didn't hiss at her. It was a snake warning her she was too close, and now it's fangs were locked in her wrist.

"Shana!" Dart was on her within seconds. With a simple fluid motion he squeezed the snakes head and managed to get it's mouth open, and fangs out of her skin. He ignored the snake trying to coil it's way out his grasp and tossed the snake off into the darkness.

"You shouldn't have gone off like that!" Dart pulled a cloth out of some pocket and wrapped it around her wound. "You're lucky that wasn't a fatal one!"

Shana winced at his condescending words. She stood up and nearly fell back to the ground as her world swirled. Dart caught her with ease.

"I thought you said it wasn't a venomous snake?" Shana took a deep breath and tried to regain her balance.

"I said it wasn't a fatal snake. That breed has toxins that mess with your senses, confusing your sense of balance and nerves." Dart chuckled. "It should wear off in a few minutes. I'll carry you back."

She saw Dart bend down to pick up her pile of sticks as he held her but her world was falling backwards. "This…is trippy."

Dart smiled and shook his head at her. He walked for a few minutes before he sat her down on the blankets. "Ok stay there." He said with a huge smile.

"Once I am able to, I'm going to smack you." Shana groaned. She felt like she was going to get sick from all the swaying. She rolled onto her stomach and closed her eyes. That seemed to help.

She heard Dart pile the wood and the rustle of leaves. She knew he would be lighting the match next. But she made herself concentrate on breathing instead of listening to him.

After a minute or two things stopped spinning.

"Here."

Shana opened her eyes to see a large tan mushroom in her face. She pulled her head back to get a bteer view of it and gave a quizzical look.

"It's to help you recover. Just eat it." Dart smiled. His form was silhouetted from the fire he had made, but she could still make out that smile.

She sat up slowly and took the mushroom. Without asking any questions she popped the whole thing into her mouth and swallowed it. She made a face and shook her head. "It would have been better boiled."

Dart laughed, "You always hated raw foods." He sat next to her and took her arm. He unwrapped the cloth and placed a leaf on it before wrapping it back up. "This should help draw the poison out. You'll be fine."

"Thank you Dart." Shana smiled.

"You can thank me by telling me what caused you to run off like you did." Dart said simply. He stared at the sparkling creek.

Shana sighed. She knew he wouldn't forget so easily. But how could she tell him? She could already feel her face heating up.

"Just spit it out Shana."

"I'm afraid…" She started.

"Of?"

She bit her lip. Hesitation.

"Shana!"

"That you're regretting us!" She screamed. She twirled her body away from him, so her back was the only thing that he saw. Tears were streaming down her cheeks even though she tried desperately hard to keep them from falling.

Dart was silent. He was stunned. That was not what he had expected to hear. "Why…Why would you think that Shana?"

She choked on her words because of that large flaming balling feeling in her throat, "Because…we don't act like a normal couple. We rarely kiss; we barely hold hands in public…things haven't changed!"

Dart opened his mouth to find no words would come out. He never thought about it before. That's just how he was. He didn't think Shana needed something like public or non public displays of affection to know he loved her. He honestly thought she had felt the same way.

He glared at the ground. Yet again his ways of thinking hurt her again. He needed to be more open with her. "Shana I-"

She cut him off, "It's okay…I knew it was too good to be true." She felt a hard weight in her chest that seemed to be falling while getting stabbed repeatedly.

"Shana…let me finish." He scooted over to her and put his arms around her, "I'm sorry. No I do not regret 'us' as you put it…I was just….not aware of what you wanted. I'm sorry." He lifted her face and wiped her tears. The look of despair on her face tore him in half. She really hurt over this. Without another thought he pressed his lips against hers while one arm pulled her to him possessively. The other placed upon her face, cradling it.

He wanted to show her how serious he was about her. How much he loved her. He could only think of one way, the ultimate affection and possession he could give.

Shana threw her arms around his neck and nearly threw herself on him, almost toppling him over. She felt a joy she hadn't felt since that night in the castle when they shared their first kiss.

Dart ran his hands over her smooth legs, venturing up. He claimed a thigh and placed it over his hips, making her straddle him. He was pleased to get a small gasp from her. Though he didn't let her lips go free for long. He claimed them again and once she was captivated once again with his lips, he let his hands slide up her sides and under her shirt. He could feel the soft skin of her waist and stomach. This time Shana pulled back from him. Her blush was obvious, though her look showed she was nervous as well as curious.

He smiled at her and in a swift motion, he threw her onto her back and was straddling her. He pressed himself against her and when he received a moan he smiled. He claimed her lips again and knew he would make love to her tonight.

"Shana. I love you. You mean the world to me. I promise, I will prove to you tonight, that I have no second thoughts about us."

* * *

><p>Shana giggled. And he did prove to her.<p>

"What are you giggling about Shana?" Plos came in from the kitchen carrying two mugs of steaming honey milk.

"Oh nothing." Shana smiled. She took her mug carefully and even more so, sipped the sweet contents.

"People will think you mad if they see you laughing to yourself." Plos teased.

"I'm alright with that. Dart is the only one who's thoughts I mind." Shana smiled.

* * *

><p>Sorry it took longer than promised ;~; I got REALLY sick<p> 


End file.
